Groundbreaking 3D microscope will provide crucial new information on cancer cells
Published: 15 October 2025
A powerful 3D microscope, capable of achieving new and more detailed insights into cancer cells, is being installed at the University of Glasgow.
A powerful 3D microscope, capable of achieving new and more detailed insights into cancer cells, is being installed at the University of Glasgow.
The first of its kind in the world, the innovative new technology is capable of ‘seeing’ the cellular landscape of tumours in 3D, offering scientists crucial new information on how different cancers behave.
The groundbreaking new microscope, the Stellaromics Pyxa™ 3D Spatial Transcriptomics System, will be housed in the School of Cancer Sciences and overseen by Nigel Jamieson, Professor of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Group Leader of the Jamieson Spatial Laboratory, and co-lead of SPARC (Spatial Pathology Analytics for Research and Clinical Integration).
The 3D microscope will offer a detailed look at tumours, not only at a cellular level but also enabling visualisation of molecules within cells, promising scientists better and more accurate information, beyond what can be achieved in thin tissue sections.
Nigel Jamieson and his team hope to reveal new insights into a range of cancers including glioblastoma, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancer. They will initially focus on deploying the Pyxa system to dissect the intricate cellular landscapes of cancer, specifically how cancer cells spread and interact with the surrounding immune cells that are constantly battling to keep them under control.
Nigel Jamieson said: “Pyxa has the potential to fundamentally transform how we study the complex microenvironment of cancer. By combining spatial resolution with single-cell precision, Pyxa opens a new window into how tumors interact, co-opt and invade their surrounding tissues, blood vessels and nerves.
“With this technology, we are excited to map the physical organization of tissue interfaces, assign precise single-cell phenotypes, and investigate multi-cellular communities and niches in three dimensions.”
In addition to supporting his own research, Dr Jamieson’s laboratory serves as a spatial biology core facility, with plans to collaborate broadly across diverse sample types to demonstrate the unique capabilities of the Pyxa system and the transformative potential of 3D spatial transcriptomics.
Nigel Jamieson added: “We believe this approach will overcome longstanding challenges in capturing tissue morphology and avoiding cellular misassignment, particularly within the intense environment of tumors including glioblastoma, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancer as they invade healthy tissue.
“We look forward to deploying this powerful tool in patient-derived samples and models to better understand the dynamic nature of cancer.”
Designed to deliver high-resolution, multiplexed 3D spatial transcriptomics in intact tissue sections up to 100 µm thick, Pyxa overcomes inherent limitations of conventional 2D thin section approaches by preserving native tissue architecture and spatial context across multiple cellular layers. The system captures subcellular detail for hundreds of molecular targets simultaneously, enabling researchers to resolve complex tissue organization, characterize cell–cell interactions, and map molecular gradients that underpin biological processes in health and disease.
Todd Dickinson, PhD, CEO of Stellaromics said: “The installation of the first external Pyxa system is a landmark event for Stellaromics and a critical step in bringing true 3D spatial biology to the global research community.
“Dr. Jamieson and his team lab are true innovators in spatial biology, and their role as a spatial biology core facility makes them an ideal partner to validate the unique applications of Pyxa across a broad range of disease areas. This partnership accelerates our mission to commercialize a system that will unlock unprecedented insights into complex tissue architecture, starting with the tumor microenvironment.”
Enquiries: ali.howard@glasgow.ac.uk or elizabeth.mcmeekin@glasgow.ac.uk
First published: 15 October 2025